Welcome back to school! I hope everyone is ready for AP Government Semester 2! We will be working on a Three Branches of Government Weebly project. In this project, you will be examining a particular session of Congress and describing the state of our government during that two year session. In this project, you will learn content and skills as you research and create a Weebly Site. I am excited to see the great things you and your classmates create! The directions for this project are under AP Government and the Three Branches of Government Project page. Enjoy!

]]>Tue, 28 Oct 2014 13:00:45 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/election-2014Today we will begin to evaluate the candidates running for office on November 4th. We will examine the race for Governor, Senator, and Representative in our state. This exercise will help us see how the candidates align with our views (or not align). You may access the assignment under the units page, under Election 2014 Activity. Have fun learning about the candidates!]]>Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:30:04 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/polling-activity-presentationSee below for the requirements regarding our Polling Activity presentation.Polling: What Matters?You will create a presentation utilizing Keynote on the iPads.Your presentation should include the following elements:·Background information on your topic so the audience understands your topic.·Your objective for your survey and summary of what you were seeking.·Describe the data you have gathered from each question of your poll.Include number data and graphs if appropriate.·What conclusions can you make regarding your data?·What was a strength of your survey? ·What was a weakness?·What surprised you about this project?Your presentation is worth 40 points!]]>Tue, 07 Oct 2014 12:30:07 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/polling-activityPublic opinion matters! You will be completing the following activity to examine polling in the United States.

3.Please answer the following questions regarding each of your 5 polls:

Is this issue a constant issue in the United States or is this a more recent issue that has come under fire?

If this is a new issue why does it matter to us now (explain what conditions lead to this issue as a concern)? If this is a more constant issue, how long has it been an important issue and why has it remained important?

What modes did the poll measure regarding opinion (example: was this a scale, pro/con, etc.)?

How do Republicans generally feel about this issue?

How do Democrats typically feel about this issue?

How do you feel about this issue?

Part 2: Create your own poll (with a partner)! Choose one issue that you found the most interesting when examining polls. You will create a poll that you can give to your peers that contains 5 questions.

Your poll needs to include the following information:

a.Title: Be creative in order to capture your audience’s attention.

b.Survey objective: list an objective of your survey at the top of your survey.

c.Demographic information: age, gender, class, political affiliation, etc.d.Knowledge based question: see how much your peers know about your given topic.

g.Satisfaction question: ask the opinion of your peers on an aspect of the issue.

h.Choice question: create a question of your choice that relates to your topic.

When creating your questions, be sure to avoid bias as much as possible. Once you have completed your survey, you must check the questions with me before you proceed.

Once your questions are approved, you will print 50 copies to gather data from a representative sample.

You will distribute your survey and collect all of your data by the start of class on Thursday.

Your final component will be a presentation of your data (specifications will come later).]]>Thu, 18 Sep 2014 13:10:37 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/the-constitute-projectHave you ever considered what parts of our Constitution are mentioned in other government documents around the world? As we wrap up our Founder's Library Activity, I would like you to visit the Constitute Project in order to examine Constitutions from around the world. As you enter the website, choose "Browse Topics" and choose 6 of the Articles or Amendments you learned about.*Examine several other countries that provide provisions for the topic. Choose one country to focus on.*Write a response as to which article/amendment has strength/weakness.*What surprised you about the information from other countries?This assignment is due on Friday!]]>Wed, 17 Sep 2014 12:12:26 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/happy-constitution-dayHappy Constitution Day, everyone! On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed. Today, we commemorate this event by examining parts of the Constitution including the Preamble, Articles and Amendments. We will be using the Annenberg Classroom Website to find out about the relevancy of the Constitution in our everyday life. Let's celebrate our Founding Fathers and their accomplishments in creating the longest surviving Constitution in use today!]]>Thu, 04 Sep 2014 19:49:09 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/what-is-the-best-government-everNow that we have learned about the different forms of government, you will be creating a government of your own! When creating your government, please consider the following things:

¤Name of country¤Government structure (what form of government does it most closely resemble or emulate)?¤Be sure to include houses of government and leader.¤How are government leaders selected?¤What type of economy backs your government?¤Who holds power and who is excluded from power?¤Create a flag and motto to represent your country and government.¤What is the role of citizens in your country’s government?¤Why is this government going to be the most successful one ever?

We will share these in class on Friday and discuss!]]>Fri, 29 Aug 2014 13:35:21 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/forms-of-government-projectWe are currently examining the different forms of government that have existed historically and in present day. In order to learn about the different forms of government in action, we are creating iMovies to share with classmates about different forms of government. The different governments we are examining include:

Monarchy

Parliamentary

Libertarian

Dictatorship

Totalitarian

Oligarchy

Theocracy

Junta

Communist

Democracy

Republic

Socialist

Capitalist

We will use this information to learn about the decisions of our early government in forming a democratic republic in the United States.]]>Thu, 21 Aug 2014 14:07:49 GMThttp://www.mrsorlov.org/blog/frq-awesomenessHere is our first FRQ Prompt from class today.

Lakes Community High School has many extra-curricular activities for students to participate in.

A.Identify three extracurricular clubs at LCHS

B.For two of the clubs you have chosen to identify, explain the main function of the club.

C.Explain how these two clubs contribute to the goals and vision of the school to ensure success for all students both inside and outside of the classroom.